Relates to encouraging public-private partnerships to help spread broadband deployment

Title of bill

An act to amend the state technology law, in relation to encouraging public-private partnerships to help spread broadband deployment

Purpose or general idea of bill

To encourage and support the partnership of public and private sector entities in the deployment, adoption and growth of broadband services in New York.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 2. Legislative Findings.

Section 3. Provides that the Office for Technology's advisory council shall develop a public-private partnership and implement a comprehensive statewide broadband deployment and adoption initiative, which shall use local technology teams, achieve increased computer literacy, and grow computer ownership. The advisory council shall also ensure that the broadband deployment and adoption initiative shall include a statewide inventory of broadband service availability, a broadband mapping program, a baseline assessment of availability of broadband to the State's households, and shall identify barriers to adoption of broadband.

Justification

Broadband technologies enable the high-speed transmission of electronic information and play a fundamental role in the State's economy. Electronic commerce, telecommuting, smart grid technologies, mobile commerce, e-government and a host of other services and business models are critical for 21st century learning and medicine. However, broadband technologies are not evenly dispersed and utilized among the state's citizens. Rural, inner-city, and low-income households are often "at the hack of the bus" on the information superhighway, and are unlikely to be to reap the full benefits of broadband access. in order to develop a strategy for encouraging the cost-effective deployment of broadband technologies in the state, the legislature intends to identify factors preventing the widespread availability and use of broadband technologies.

It is important to remember that social access to broadband is just as important as physical access. In other words, although New York is fortunate that broadband is distributed widely across the state, the costs can be so high that many citizens cannot afford to use the technology.

Such a cost prohibitive deployment must also be addressed, along with computer access and literacy barriers to broadband uptake.

As other states have found, due to the complexity and expense of establishing universal broadband access, the creation of a new public-private entities or public authorities can be necessary: Virginia created the Innovative Technology Authority with an operational arm known as the Center for Innovative Technology. The Innovative Technology Authority/Center for Innovative Technology is considered a nation-wide model for broadband deployment authorities.

ConnectKentucky was based off these institutions and made impressive strides in its effort to establish 1009, Broadband availability through- out its home state. Maine has created the ConnectME authority tasked with establishing universal broadband access in that state, with power to designate and redesignate base-level broadband access speeds, desig- nate un- and under-served areas, distribute funds, and level assessments on telecommunications providers to support those funds.

This bill creates a public-private partnership structure more reflective of ConnectKentucky, ConnectME and other "Connect" states such as Ohio, Minnesota, South Carolina and Tennessee, than it is of Virginia's public authority model.

Prior legislative history

2013-2014: S.1636/A4441 - Referred to Infrastructure and Capital Investment; 2011-12: S.1046/A8016 - Referred to Energy & Telecommunications 2009-10: S.5170A - Finance

Fiscal implications

Minimal.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.